Double masters in maths and physics.

[MathematicalPhysicist]

i just want to know, if generally do universities accept students who wish to do a joint masters degree in maths and physics?
if they do, do the students need to write a thesis work for both of them?

thanks in advance.

 

[daveb]

from what I've seen, generally no (I wanted to do both). There might be a few places, though. Why do you want a double masters in both?

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

cause I am interested in both pure maths and mathematical physics.
anyway, I am still in my first degree learning, so i have time to decide, still i wanted to know if it's possible.

 

[Born2Perform]

I know that Oxford university offers a series of double courses, like physics and phylosophy, physics and geology, physics and mathematics, mathematics and phylosophy etc.
you can find the program in their site.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

can you provide a link to this programme?

 

[Office_Shredder]

The math/physics degree is for undergraduates only (I think)

Here's a link to their website: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

i know that the hebrew university provides an adjusted programme where you can combine them both in a masters degree, i wonder which other universiteis provide such programmes?

 

[ThePhysLab]

though you can surely find a school that offers both, it seems that the really good schools do not. you can always take graduate courses in either, but if the paper is what you are after, you will have to sacrifice to get it. really, i would advise getting into the best school you can and taking some classes in both. given what you would gain from such an endeavor, you would not need any paper to distinguish you from someone who has not taken the extra classes. also, why the masters? the really respectable programs (mit, caltech, princeton, columbia, chicago) do not even offer a masters except by special request, it is just expected that you are in it for the big one. i hope i have helped. good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

though you can surely find a school that offers both, it seems that the really good schools do not. you can always take graduate courses in either, but if the paper is what you are after, you will have to sacrifice to get it. really, i would advise getting into the best school you can and taking some classes in both. given what you would gain from such an endeavor, you would not need any paper to distinguish you from someone who has not taken the extra classes. also, why the masters? the really respectable programs (mit, caltech, princeton, columbia, chicago) do not even offer a masters except by special request, it is just expected that you are in it for the big one. i hope i have helped. good luck with whatever you choose!

for example, if i were doing a masters in maths, is it possible to take extra courses in physics? will they be credited in the degree?

 

[ThePhysLab]

whether they will count or not is a school's choice, but if you really want to learn the material, it won't matter. there is so much overlap materialwise in high level physics and math that they very nearly become the same subject. i mean, heck, take stephen hawking, premiere physicist - but techinically a math professor!

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

i don't think there's much overlap between pure maths and physics, (for example set theory and number theory, i don't think they apply in physics at all) perhaps between physics and applied maths there's the overlap you mentioned.

 

[pivoxa15]

I have a feeling there is a good reason why grad programs don't offer combined degree like physics and pure maths because at that level, you are expected to do very indepth research into these areas and to do both physics and pure maths which as you say can be very unrelated at times, might be too much to ask. If you do cover both than there probably won't be indepth enough for a masters. That is why they offer them at the undergrad level. This is just a speculation though since I am only an undergrad and infact majoring in both pure maths and physics.

 

[ThePhysLab]

number theory is truly the only pure math topic. everything else can be paralleled with some type of application. you mentioned set theory:

http://tph.tuwien.ac.at/~svozil/publ/set.htm"

some of the craziest theoretical math stuff is going on at the very forefront of physics.

 

[vincebs]

If you are considering Canadian universities, the University of Toronto has a good program for those interested in both theoretical physics AND pure mathematics. It's called the Mathematics and Physics Specialist program. It has a high concentration of both pure math courses (real & complex analysis, topology, etc) and physics courses. It is a very challenging program.